Vehicle running-gear



(No Moda.)

' A. CHALFANT.

VEHICLE RUNMNG GEAR Patented May 19, l885 f K r WlTNEssES: mvBN 0R.

, y @JW LU-l, ,/y ATTORNEYS. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEG ALEXANDER CHALFANT, OF MULBERRY GROVE, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE RUNNING-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,354, dated May 19, 1885.

Application filed February 24,1885. (No model.) Y

To all whom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CHALEANT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Mulberry Grove, in the county of Bond and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Ocuplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which forni a part of this specification, and in Which- Figure lis a transverse sectional View of the front end of a Wagon box and gear equipped with my improved coupling device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view ofthe same, taken on the line xx in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts constituting my improved vehic1e-coupling, detached.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures. y

rl'his invention relates to couplings for the front running-gear of vehicles, and it has for its object to provide a device of this class in Which the ordiuaryking-bolt and the perforation for its reception in the front axle shall be dispensed with, thereby avoiding weakening of the axle at this point, and insuring superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency for the vehicles to which my invention may be applied.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A designates a plate or cap, the under side of which is curved, so as to lit upon the upper side of the front axle, C, and provided at its endsl with downwardlyextending perforated lugs D, to receive the bolts E or other devices by means of which it may be secured to the axle. The plate or cap A is provided with a centrallylocated cylindrical stud, F, having a vertical recess or opening, G, extending to the bottom of the stud, but not through the plate, to receive the coupling-pin, as will be presently described.

H is a metallic cap or casting, having a recess, I, to receive the front end of the reach or coupling-pole, which may be secured in the said recess by means of a vertical bolt, J. The said cap or casting is provided near its front end with a vertical perforation, K, by means of which it may be fitted upon the stud F of plate A.

L is a plate,which is fitted and bolted or otherwise secured upon the under side of the bolster M. Said plate has a central perforation, N, fitting upon the upper end of the stud F, and the bolster is provided with a vertical perforation, O, to receive the coupling-pin P, Which enters the recess or opening G in the stud F, thereby effecting the coupling together of the several parts. The head of the couplingpin may be countersunk in the upper side of the bolster, and it is retained by the wagonbox Q, which rests upon the latter? It is obvious that by having the coupling arranged as shown and described the axle is strengthened by having the plate attached to it, and is not weakened by having a hole bored through it to receive the king-bolt,77 asis usually done. It will also be seen that the sand-board is dispensed with, and the bolster rests directly upon the couplingpole, as the projecting lug affords ample strength for the attachment of the hind axle by means of the coupling-pole.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesi The combination of the front axle, a plate or casting secured thereto and having an upwardly-extending stud provided with a vertical recess, the re achcap having a vertical perforation near its front end, a plate secured to the under side of the bolster and hav ing a central perforation, and a coupling-pin extending through a vertical perforation in the bolster into the vertical recess of the stud of the base-plate, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto aliixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER OHALFANT. 

